Dear New Year.............Hello......

Well I am very cautious in welcoming new year this time...! I had fairly bad 2017. I wrapped it and tied all loose ends knowingly..! After shaking and searching it did find me and I do have left overs and residues!In spite of that I would like to say...Hellooo.............................!

Hello.......who's on other side? hello can I speak to so n so? Hello...is such a common word, which will be there as long as we are there, right? In the dark or in the broad day light..you can call any one any where...hello....and its like you get connected..! Its such a comforting word...for any one! In desperation, in anger, in joyous mood or when sad...your hello will tell the situation you are in! Dear new year....Hello...hope you treat me well,at least this year!

Taste of Past!

Preparations every where for Merry Christmas!!!...Its in the air..!Special Icing on  cakes to cookies of different flavors filled the place. One  section was busy making kidis n kuswars a very local very Manglorian Christmas goodies, very traditional then  may not be so now, but commercially Yes!! Meaning I am sure earlier every house they use to make it but now they just buy it. Just like everything has changed...the Christmas festivities have changed too, but customs have not..so we bakers have good business and it is our peak business time. Tasting everything is a hassle so I don't ever ask for samples, though it is fun to watch the production...First bite of this hard sweet which I thought would not  be soft after all...and as my teeth dug deep the bite was making me nostalgic...Amma! I was totally taken in to my past..those childhood days of mine where every sweet was prepared by my Amma,with the help of aunties of our  family. We being Konkanis the food we ate was  very different in a remote town of Andhra! In those days no ingredients were available in market which was very Konkani for us to continue making or eating. From pulses to vegetables..from sweets to pickles . Amma use to make everything depending on the availability of ingredients and manual help! So it was always excitement unlimited when grand parents or aunties and uncles use to come over from native place( we use to fondly call gaav). Now suddenly I got the same taste in my mouth...jaggery  sweetness! Its not like the sugar laddus but a very traditional taste of jaggery and coconut with rice and Ghee! I have forgotten about this simple childhood sweet which amma made on those special days of grandmas visit, which may be due to more laborious process  or less availability of ingredients! After those years I  never had this sweet ! I know now..its only because may be it was originally made during Christmas by the Mangalore Christians, in their Kuswars! May be locals liked it and made few variations thus this sweet came in to existence..! Roasted  boiled rice, jaggery, and coconut? what else...hmm. may be cardamom and Ghee!  Not sure and I don't need to make it now...but its made right here in bulk and I got to taste..and I had only one thing in my mind..! Eureka..I have to tell this new discovery  to my siblings! I am sure they too must have forgotten the taste of this sweet! My roller coaster ride of past was so good with every bite, I became moist eyed and moved from there..! Moments of memories, taste of past..who wont like to travel in this path? I hope every one discovers something of their past..a forgotten fruit, a limy pickle, a smelly galli , a street full of aromas, or a kitchen loaded with goodies from past! Tasty past is always nostalgic!

Art....

September 29, 2017....This month and this day is dedicated and kept aside, for the artist in our family.  I know she never considered herself as an artist, nor did we, when she was around us. My mother in law told me, how she wished to perform  in movies, but those days acting was not considered as any form of art, but as the poor mans choice of profession, and actually looked down upon by the affluent!  She got married and fell in domestic routine, like all other girls, and her dream soon forgotten, so she said.  Lot of opportunities came her way in later part of her life to act,sing and dance and perform in all social organizations she was connected with,it seems. I was taken aback when i entered at this time, and I did not understand this performing desire of hers.!  She got a chance to  perform in  few stage shows in and around our city with bigger and very famous troupes  and  I am sure that gave her total contentment! I was so biased I can say, as my sister use to draw  and made beautiful paintings and I use to be so proud of her talent and for me that was art! My mom was  excellent with needles and threads and with knife and veggies...and she was a wonder woman to me. WE all followed some kind of creative skills as our plan B, next to our studies..and that all I was proud of. Performing art was never came into light nor valued by me but was simply taken for granted. I hated my dance teacher, and did not take music teacher seriously in school. In College I was in the creative side behind the scenes either in writing the script or directing the show! I dreaded being dragged in every small little stage show which had me,in it for sure! I avoided the selection times, and gave a slip to  practices! My interest was perhaps in creating than performing! The humor quotient of  my mother in law and the  rest of the family members  could beat up the bitter and unpleasant experiences in our family feud!They always looked at things with a lighter note,which made huge difference in the final outcome. I feel  that was actually an art of living in true sense!  It took a long time for me to appreciate this aspect of art,performing or creating in day to day life! Anyways , I could not draw like the way my daughter did, nor could i get the beat and rhythm my son had in him even as tiny tots. They  both were  naturals. I knew art is Gods gift  and this is a valuable talent many cannot have! This is what their grand mothers contribution to their genes, may be?! From her desire to perform, to look at everything positively and humorously in life was no less than any art .  I definitely saw the pride of the grand mother and the gleam in her eyes when these kids were at their best! Soon after her death( with in a few days), I was amazed when a couple of artists knocked our door, asking for our permission to perform. I have stayed in this locality  all my life but never came across these kinda street artists who wanted to perform during a particular season for free, due to some owe they had of their own! How happy my mother in law would have been for this, and  I truly felt its her connection with art which brought these artists to our door step! from then to now..every year these artists come perform and we pay our respects to them. In a way it is like a tribute to my mother in law and her love forperforming Art! Here AI share the Art form of Yakshgana performed by street artists in our house.